Remember Me
by Jessie611
Summary: Five years after being forced out of CTU Chloe goes for a new job but gets more than she bargained for.


Chloe walked into the conference room of the private security firm. She was talking to them about a new security package she had designed. She hated this part of her job, having to explain to a bunch of security 'experts' how her system was better than any other on the market. They just had to look at all the others and it would be a no brainer. But no, they had to wheel her out for all to see, make her stand up in front of a couple of hundred people and answer questions that didn't really need answering. She sighed as she set up her equipment, wishing that it was over and they would just let her get on with her job; they knew they would hire her.

She had been designing her own internet security systems for the past five years, longer if you counted the time she had designed them for the government. She'd worked for the government for over ten years but had eventually been discharged for repeated disregard for organisational protocols. In actual fact she had almost gone to prison but had been saved at the eleventh hour by her old boss. He had come out of hiding and testified at her trial. It had been a risk; a lot of people had wanted him dead, at the very least they wanted him in prison. Halfway during the trial she had realised this had all been a ploy, they had no interest in her; it had all been a ruse to get him out of hiding so they could finally get rid of him. Chloe had been distraught when she'd realised. She hated the fact that he had sacrificed everything only to be betrayed by the very country and system that he had fought for.

Chloe had tried to sway the trial judge into believing that she was guilty, that she had been working alone and that none of it was anything to do with Jack. She had tried, but she had failed. She thought back to the last time she'd seen him, sitting alone in the court room, smiling gently at her when she heard she was free. She had cried, and Chloe never cried in front of other people. He had held her, had thanked her and then told her to go and get on with her life, to forget about him and forget about what they had done; she was free and he wanted her to have a happy life.

Chloe had walked away as he'd asked, but it was the hardest thing she'd ever done. She had tried to find out what had happened to him after the trial but she hadn't got anywhere, realising that his whereabouts was part of the biggest political conspiracy in American history. She had tried for two years and had only stopped when Chase had begged her to, she was making herself ill and Chase had reminded her of Jack's last wish for her; that she get away and be happy. Eventually Chloe had left and she was now content but she never really thought she'd be happy; the only way she'd been able to deal with what happened was to believe that Jack was dead. If she allowed herself to think he was alive she would be tormented for the rest of her life. She lived in London now, had turned her back on the country that had betrayed her and the people she loved.

Chloe shook her head, what on earth had started her thinking about that part of her life? It had been a long time ago and now was not the time to think about it. She had an important presentation to do. Just then she was interrupted by John, her contact within the company.

"Hey Chloe, how're you doing?" he asked smiling.

"Humph, ok I guess but I hate having to do this."

"I know, but it's only a formality. The boss wants to gauge the reaction to your system before making his decision. But don't worry, it's a done deal. You'll be fine."

"I know, it's just that I hate wasting my time" she replied crankily.

John smiled; his boss had warned him about her when he'd first asked him to approach her. He had heard so much about Chloe that he felt as though he knew her, even though he'd only met her a handful of times.

"Chloe, it's not a waste of time if you get the job and you will. You just need to grin and bear it for a while. They'll all be in here in about ten minutes, and then once you've finished your presentation and answered their questions Mr Conway will see you. It'll be over before you know it."

Chloe sighed and got on with setting up her equipment.

An hour later, she had finished her presentation and was answering various questions from the floor. There was an excited buzz in the room as they realised the potential of her system, how it would make their jobs easier and how it would ensure their systems would be safe. Chloe felt a buzz all of her own as she got the recognition she had earned through hard work and determination.

When everyone had left the room, including the ones who had stayed behind to congratulate her on her system Chloe began packing away the equipment. Just as she was finishing up John came in and told her that Mr Conway was ready to see her now.

"How did it go down?" Chloe asked. She hadn't noticed if Mr Conway had been in the room, not that she would recognise him anyway; but she guessed he must have been.

"It was great Chloe. I told you it would be. The rest of this is just a formality." He smiled as he guided her out of the room. He led her down a long hallway and up a back stairwell to what looked to be a private set of offices. The office was tastefully decorated with white walls and brown leather furniture, the only colour being a dash of blue to the blinds and the soft furnishings. Chloe felt nervous, she had heard Conway was a powerful man and she knew it important that she impressed him.

When John led her into the office and turned to leave she stopped him. "Aren't you staying?" she asked in concern.

John shook his head "No, Conway wants to meet with you alone. He likes the personal touch and would like the opportunity to get to know you."

"Great" Chloe said, a bright smile fixed to her face.

John laughed as he patted her shoulder and again told her she'd be fine. "He'll be here in a few minutes" he said as he left the office.

Chloe sat quietly, wishing she could leave. She got up from the chair and moved to the window, looking out over the city, thinking to herself how different London was to LA. She didn't hear the man enter the room and didn't notice him stop and stare at her back, taking in every familiar part of her from the smooth lines of her suit to the tension in her shoulders. She didn't see the soft smile curving at his lips and the happiness that lit up his eyes at the sight of her.

"Relax Chloe; it's going to be fine. Trust me" he said, the smile evident in his voice.

Chloe felt shock ripple through her at the sound of the voice she hadn't heard for many years. She thought she was imagining that it was him and almost couldn't bring herself to turn around and ruin the illusion. But she did turn around, compelled to look in the direction that the voice was coming from.

She moved slowly, the shock clear on her face. He was leaning casually against the wall, dressed in a dark grey suit and blue, tie-less shirt. His hair was longer than the last time she'd seen him but his features were the same. In fact he looked younger than she remembered, more relaxed.

Chloe opened her mouth to say something but the words wouldn't come out. She just stood staring at the man she knew as Jack Bauer, tears stinging her eyes, her hand covering her mouth as though she was afraid that if she spoke he would disappear in front of her eyes. She didn't move, she couldn't move.

The smile left his face as he saw the shock in her expression; he frowned in concern as he moved towards her. As he stopped in front of her and she saw him close up for the first time, the tears started to fall from her eyes in earnest. A muffled sob escaped her lips as her hand moved from her mouth to touch his face. She gently stroked his cheek until his hand held hers to him, his face turning slightly so his lips gently brushed against her palm.

Then he was pulling her to him, gently wrapping her in his arms before his hand moved to the back of her head, clutching her face to his shoulder, allowing her to cry softly into him. His fingers gently stroked up and down her back in soothing strokes, trying to calm her. It was several minutes before Chloe was able to look up, before either of them spoke.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm sorry, I know this must be a shock for you" he muttered gently into her hair.

"Jack" Chloe said on a sigh. "But, but….how?" she asked.

Jack led her to the couch in the corner of his office then sat holding her to his side "I'm sorry Chloe, sorry that I couldn't contact you before now. Wayne Palmer cut a deal for me. New identity, new life; the only condition was that I left America and didn't contact anyone. I just found out a few weeks ago that I received a full pardon and can go back to my old life if I want to."

Jack was stroking her hair as Chloe processed what he was saying. "How did you find me? I thought I was doing pretty well at disappearing myself" she said.

"You were, it's just that I know you. Plus, I've known all along where you were. I've been checking on you from time to time, just to make sure you're ok."

Chloe frowned as she thought about how he always looked out for her.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"You're always looking out for everyone Jack. You've sacrificed everything for people around you, not just once but several times."

Jack's features softened at the concern in her voice "Chloe, look what you did for me. You were willing to sacrifice yourself for me. That's just the way it's always been between the two of us. And,…well, I have only done what I've done for the people I care about".

Chloe jumped a little as his forehead rested against hers. She breathed in the scent of him and felt the comfort of his closeness wash over her.

"I can't believe you're here" she said softly, her breath catching in her throat.

"And I can't believe you're here Chloe. I've missed you so much".

When his head lifted Chloe looked into his eyes, now glistening with unshed tears. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time; wanted to throw her arms around him and hold him to her. She hesitated though, her instincts telling her to show him how she felt, but the cautious part of her not knowing how it would be received. After all, they'd never really been more than work colleagues until their connection at the end. Ok, they had been more than work colleagues, but she struggled to define their relationship in any understandable format.

Sighing deeply, Chloe decided to go with her instincts and leant into him, her arms circling his shoulders and her lips touching his. Almost immediately Jack groaned and returned her kiss, using his tongue to tantalise her in a way she'd only fantasised before now.

Minutes passed before they were pulling apart. Their eyes locked and refusing to waver, both of them cautious but both of them wanting to be together.

"Chloe, I love you. So much, I know it probably sounds strange coming for the first time after five years of not seeing each other. But I need you to know how I feel. You're the one person who's kept me going. It was the thought of one day being able to find you that kept me strong."

Chloe smiled the brightest smile he'd seen. "I love you too Jack. It nearly killed me to think that I'd never see you again."

"I know baby, I know."

They sat holding each other on the couch until the sun started setting. Eventually Jack pulled away from her.

"C'mon, let's go home."

Chloe smiled as she allowed him to pull her up. She didn't even ask where home was. She didn't need to because as long as he was by her side, that would be where her home was.

Just as they were walking out of the office Chloe stopped suddenly and, turning towards him she asked "By the way, did I get it?"

"Get what?" he asked in confusion.

"The job" she said simply with a smile.

Jack smiled in return, pulling her into his side as he kissed her thoroughly. Eventually when they broke apart he said "yes Chloe, you got the job. And anything else you want."

"I only want you" she said.

"Then you've got it" he answered simply.


End file.
